The Irish Field Podcasts

fter watching a host of informative action at the Curragh’s Juddmonte Irish Oaks meeting, The Racing Edge Podcast team discuss the main talking points to emerge from the classic weekend.  Johanna Walsh’s runaway Group 1 victory is dissected by Mark Boylan, Mark Costello and Anne Marie Duff, while in-form breeze-up consignor Cormac Farrell reflects on another smart winner to emerge from his academy, Joseph O’Brien’s impressive Curragh maiden winner Star Performer. Farrell’s first two juvenile representatives of the season went on to finish second in the Chesham Stakes and fourth in the Norfolk Stakes, while this season’s 2,000 Guineas third/Irish 2,000 Guineas second Distant Storm also went through his hands after selling for €1.9 million out of the breeze-ups last year. Cheltenham’s false start review is assessed by the panel, while some early fancies are put forward for the Tote Galway Plate and Guinness Galway Hurdle, following the publication of entries in recent days. A poor turnout of just three runners for the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin is put under the microscope too. Finally, Anne Marie Duff and Mark Costello give their early selections for a star-studded edition of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot this Saturday, as well as nominating a horse to follow from the recent action for listeners.

How many trainers can say that 20% of their entire string won on the same day in Ireland? That is exactly what Co Cavan-based Paddy Magee managed to achieve last Saturday, when following up his first treble at Navan with another winner on the same evening at Limerick. The former amateur rider is the special guest on this week’s episode of The Racing Edge Podcast (by The Irish Field) and he discusses his background in the sport, as well as his aspirations for his growing training business. It’s Juddmonte Irish Oaks week at the Curragh and Mark Boylan is joined by Anne Marie Duff and Amy Lynam to preview the main Group 1 action. Top-level success in France for Fozzy Stack, as well as a Group 1 strike at the Newmarket July Festival for Donnacha O’Brien, is also discussed, as well as some of the week’s big talking points.

Willie McCreery runs Jancis in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes next Friday. He talks about his stable star’s ideal conditions and why he won’t hear criticism of the Curragh training grounds.  The Racing Edge team of Mark Costello, Anne Marie Duff and Amy Lynam review the Eclipse and other talking points before looking ahead to the July meeting highlights.

Ado McGuinness was one of 18 different trainers to register a winner at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival when his well-bought Pierre Royal snared a €100,000 premier handicap, and he joins The Racing Edge Podcast this week for our weekly review. The trainer, who has a knack of unearthing big handicap winners, has some smart targets to look forward to with his lightly raced four-year-old. Carrying the colours of the A Twist Of Fate Syndicate, he appeared to land a bit of a touch when backed into 12/1 from 40/1 at the Curragh on Sunday. Benvenuto Cellini’s victory in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby was the main talking point of the show, with reflections from Mark Boylan, Anne Marie Duff and Amy Lynam on the key runners’ performances and some recent criticism of the mid-summer classics. The team nominates their three best performances of the meeting, away from the Group 1 action, and discuss Thundering On’s defeat to Estrange in the Paddy Power Pretty Polly. The panel is split over a move to allow geldings to run in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Mark and Anne Marie weigh in on Christophe Soumillon’s appeal against a ‘team tactics’ charge from Royal Ascot and there are also selections given for this weekend’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

Joey Sheridan rode his first Royal Ascot winner last week. He tells us all about the occasion and talks about his career to-date.  The Racing Edge team of Mark Costello, Anne Marie Duff and Amy Lynam discuss the winners and losers from the Royal meeting, and pick out some horses to follow.

It’s Royal Ascot week and top jockey Billy Lee joins The Racing Edge team of Mark Costello, Mark Boylan and Anne Marie Duff to preview the top class meeting.Billy has had four Ascot winners and has some exciting mounts for the week ahead.The Irish Field team give their opinions on all the big races and also put forward some dark horses and handicappers to note at big prices.

Trainer Danny McLoughlin stole the show at Navan on Sunday when saddling a 1-2 for his first blacktype success in the Listed Darley Irish EBF Kooyonga Stakes, and he joins this week’s episode of The Racing Edge Podcast to discuss his yard’s continued growth. The 24-year-old is Ireland’s youngest trainer and has a capable team of horses and staff around him for a lucrative flat season in 2026. The team of Mark Boylan, Anne Marie Duff and Amy Lynam look back on a dramatic Betfred Derby Festival at Epsom, highlighted by Christmas Day’s Derby heroics under Ronan Whelan and a controversial stewarding decision related to Benvenuto Cellini being withdrawn. A first British classic triumph for Dylan Browne McMonagle aboard Thundering On is also dissected. There are discussions on the continued issues arising from oilseed rape, Amy Lynam looks ahead to the Goffs Arkle Sale and Anne Marie Duff talks jumping stallions on foot of Zia Zabeel’s fascinating purchase by Paul Byrne.

It’s Betfred Derby week at Epsom and The Racing Edge Podcast team of Mark Boylan, Anne Marie Duff and Amy Lynam are on hand to preview each of the three Group 1s down for decision. Fresh from a stunning 1-2-3 in Sunday’s French Derby, Aidan O’Brien has a strong hand in both classics, as well as in the revamped Coolmore Coronation Cup. Following the news that popular Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Captain Guinness has been retired at the age of 11, his owner Declan Landy is a special guest on the podcast to reflect on the stalwart performer’s career. The team also react to the recent veterinary and ground-related cases involving the IHRB.

Tune in to this week’s episode of The Racing Edge Podcast for a comprehensive rundown of all the Group 1 action on Tattersalls Irish Guineas weekend at the Curragh, with Mark Boylan, Anne Marie Duff, and Mark Costello joined by Sarah Lynam for analysis. Podcast listeners would have been in clover if following the advice of Amy Lynam last week when Headmaster dramatically got on top close home to win Saturday’s Irish Stallion Farms EBF Habitat Handicap at 14/1 under Dylan Browne McMonagle. Sarah astutely bought the blue-blooded four-year-old for 48,000gns last October and plays a key role in his training with her father, Eddie. The RTÉ Radio and TG4 pundit weighs in on all the major talking points from the Curragh, which saw Aidan O’Brien complete a big-race double in the Tattersalls Irish 2000 and 1000 Guineas courtesy of Gstaad and Precise. Can Saturday’s winner reverse Newmarket form with Bow Echo in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot? Is Precise a likely stayer if stepping up in trip for the Betfred Oaks at Epsom? The team each nominates beaten eye-catchers from the Curragh and looks forward to the French Derby this weekend, a Group 1 seemingly likely to feature the well-touted Constitution River.